The battlefield lay heavy with despair. Goku, Vegeta, Nappa, and Raditz were barely standing. Piccolo and Krillin's bodies had already fallen. The cold laughter of Frieza echoed through the ruins.
And then—
BOOM!
A shockwave tore through the air as Rudra appeared, his aura calm yet blazing with intent. Without a word, he dashed forward and launched a powerful punch straight at Frieza.
The tyrant smirked, vanishing in a blur. He reappeared behind Rudra, his hand glowing with deadly energy. "Too slow."
But before the attack could land—Rudra vanished as well.
"What?" Frieza hissed, his eyes widening.
Rudra appeared behind him, his heel crashing into Frieza's back with bone-rattling force. The tyrant flew like a comet, smashing into a distant mountain, the rock crumbling under the impact.
Dust and stone rained down as silence covered the battlefield.
Goku's lips curved into a grin, even through his exhaustion. "Heh… that technique… appearing instantly behind him… That could change everything in a fight! Next time, I'm definitely learning it!"
Vegeta, on the other hand, froze in disbelief. His pride as a Saiyan Prince trembled at what he had just witnessed.
Impossible, he thought. Rudra's ki is even weaker than Nappa's or Raditz's… and yet he struck Frieza—actually struck him! No one with such low ki should even be able to touch him.
---
The Rule of Ki
In the Dragon Ball universe, the laws of combat were simple. Whoever had the greater ki, had the tougher body. A warrior with overwhelming ki could shrug off the attacks of a weaker opponent. That was why Krillin and Piccolo, though skilled, had been dispatched so easily by Frieza's hand. Their ki had been simply too low.
It was also why Vegeta and Goku, whose power levels were much closer to Frieza's, could at least exchange blows with him. Even if they were losing, their strength wasn't laughable.
But Rudra… Rudra broke this rule.
With ki weaker than Raditz's, he had landed a solid, crushing blow on Frieza's body, sending the tyrant crashing into stone.
The impossible had happened.
---
Frieza's Confusion
From the rubble, Frieza's aura exploded as he rose, brushing dust from his shoulders. His crimson eyes narrowed, his mocking smirk faltering for the first time.
"How curious," he said softly. "A human… with such pitiful energy… and yet, you dare to hurt me? How are you doing this?"
Rudra stood firm, his breathing calm. "You wouldn't understand. What you call weakness… is simply strength you cannot see."
Frieza tilted his head, laughter returning, though less certain this time. "Don't toy with me. No insect should be able to scratch me unless their ki rivals my own."
---
The Hidden Truth
The answer wasn't something Frieza—or even the Saiyans—could easily comprehend. The only ones who truly understood were Rudra himself, and the angel Whis, who observed from realms beyond.
Through months of training in the chamber, Rudra had forged a perfect balance between body and soul.
By meditation, he had absorbed natural energy from dimensions beyond, converting it into chakra—the manifestation of soul power. With his soul and body linked in harmony, he could channel this chakra not only into techniques, but into the very fibers of his muscles, his bones, his skin.
Where Saiyans relied on raw evolution, and angels were born divine, Rudra had created his own path: the human path.
---
Goku's Realization
Goku's eyes widened as he studied Rudra's stance. He could feel it—Rudra's ki was still faint, but his presence burned like a mountain unshakable.
"Vegeta," Goku muttered, "his energy… it doesn't make sense. It's low, but… his body feels harder than steel."
Vegeta scowled. "Tch! Ridiculous! Ki is everything in battle. That human shouldn't even be standing. And yet—" His fists trembled. "—he just defied the very laws of combat."
---
Rudra's Philosophy
Rudra closed his eyes for a brief moment, recalling his meditations.
"In spirit, chakra is soul power. In the physical world, chakra becomes natural energy. By harmonizing the two, I don't just use energy—I become energy."
He opened his eyes, staring directly at Frieza.
"That's why your strength doesn't matter. Your ki may dwarf mine a thousandfold. But my body… strengthened by the flow of chakra… can still hurt you."
Frieza's smirk cracked. "You dare claim your little philosophy makes you my equal?"
"Not equal," Rudra corrected. "But enough to show you… that humans aren't as weak as you think."
---
The Divine Contrast
High above, Whis observed through his staff, smiling faintly.
"Fascinating," he mused. "Where angels need no philosophy, for divinity is their birthright… and Saiyans rely on instinctive evolution… humans carve strength from thought, balance, and understanding. If they could stop fighting each other and harness their intellect as one, they could indeed rival gods."
---
Frieza's Fury
The tyrant's tail lashed the ground, shattering stone. "You dare mock me with your tricks?!" His aura blazed violet, waves of destruction spreading outward.
"You are nothing more than an insect pretending to be strong!"
Rudra raised his stance, calm and steady. His body glowed faintly as chakra coursed through him, the quiet hum of power that no scouter could ever measure.
"Come then," Rudra said. "Test your strength against mine."
---
The battlefield grew silent once again, but this silence was different. This time, it wasn't despair. It was anticipation.
For the first time, Frieza wasn't fighting Saiyans. He wasn't fighting Namekians. He wasn't even fighting gods.
He was fighting something new.
And Frieza didn't know what to expect.